Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-07-16

seventh Congresses, Senators Willard
Illinois; Fitch, of Indiana; Harlan, of
Iowa; Pomeroy, of Kansas Hamlin, of
Maine; Jefferson Davis, of Mississippi;
Clark, of New Hampshire; Clingman, of
North Carolina; Sherman, Of Ohio; Cam
eron, of Pennsylvania; Hunter, of Vir-
ginia; Wiley, Of Virginia; Henderson, of
Missouri; and Doolittle, of Wisconsin,
survive.
Among the distinguished senators who
served in the Forty-seventh Congress,
none possessed talents of higher order
than James A. McDougall, of California,
the successor of Senator William NJ.
Gwinn, chosen for the six-years' term
ending March 3, 1867 Mr.. McDougall
was born in Albany county, N. Y, in
1917, and educated at the Albany Gram
mar School. He studied law, was adj
mitted to the bar and emigrated to Pike
county, ILL.,, in 1887. In 1842 he was
chosen attorney general of that State,
and reelected in 1874. He originated
and accompanied an exploring expedi-
ton in 1S49 to Rio del Norte, the ella
and Colorado rivers, subsequently set
Ting at San Francisco, where he attained
eminence in his profession. In 1850 he
was elected attorney general of Califor-
mia, and served as representative in
Congress from that State from 1853 to
1855. In 1851 he was chosen senator,
having for his colleague Milton S.
Latham, elected to fill the unexpired
term of Senator David s. Broderick, who,
1t will be remembered, received his death
wound in a duel with David s. Terry,
chief justice of the Supreme Court of
California, September 10, 1869, expiring
three days afterward.
1t may be stated in this connection
that Mr.. Broderick is alleged to have
been the first member of the United
States Senat ever killed in duel but
fact will probably be recalled that ex-
ginia, was killed at Bladensburg, Md, in
the memorable duel with Colonel Jack
McCarty, his cousin, on February 6, 1919,
shortly after the expiration of his sena-
torial term. This duel was fought by
the contestants while standing over the
line separating Maryland from the Dis
trict of Columbia. The weapons were
muskets, portion sawed off, and loaded
with ball. The ball from Colonel Nc
Carty's musket struck the guard of Sen
ator Mason's gun, and split in two, and
both lobes entered his body. As there
were two wounds found, Colonel Nc Carly
was charged with having had two balls
in his musket, and the duel was de-
nounced as prearranged murder. But
on the demand of Colonel McCarty an
autopsy was held and both lobes of the
ball were found in Senator Mason's body,
thus disproving the allegation of foul
play.
No senator of the bellum period was
more genial and eloquent than Senator
Mcdonald, but life at the national CAPT
tai frequently proved too alluring for
one of his temperament, and sadly marred
his usefulness as a senator in Congress
His habits became cratic, and his seat
was too often found empty. His i'm
providence kept him in pecuniary straits,
but his many friends and admirers,
especially those hailing from the Pacific
coast, stood by him sturdily, and were
occasionally successful in aligning him
Alright. His colleagues, approaching
his abilities and many admirable traits
of character, bore patiently with his
shortcomings.
Upon the close of his senatorial term
on March 3, 1867, he returned to Albany,
N. Y, where he died September of the
same year. 1t is narrated that on GER
tain occasion he was discovered late at
night lying in the gutter where he had
helplessly retired to sleep off his pota-
tons. His rescuer reused the sleeper to
sensibility, and, recognizing him, eX-
claimed, ''Why, you are Senator McDoA-
gall; let me accompany you homer
Mr.. McDougall gazed ruefully for mo-
ment at his mud begrimed apparel, and,
drawing himself to dignified attitude,
replied, "Thank you, sir {; may once
have been Senator McDougall, but hang
me if don't think am now Senator
Severed" Secretary Seward used to
narrate this story with great gusto as
a joke upon himself, perpetrated by his
inebriated friend, McDougall.
The melancholy suicides of Senators
Preston King, of New York, and
James II. Lane, of Kansas, occurred
shortly after the close of the civil war
This recalls the additional fact that Sen
ator Rusk, of Texas, destroyed himself
July 30, 1857, aged fifty-four years, in a
moment of insanity, alleged to have been
caused by intense grief at the death of
his wife. General Rusk and General
Sam Houston were the first senators
chosen in 1916 to represent Texas, and
each was reelected for second and
third term, serving in the Twenty
Thirtieth, Thirty-tirst, Thirty second,
Thirtythird, Thirty-fourth, and Thirty
fifth Congresses. General Houston re-
tired from the Senate March 3, 1859, and
died at Huntersville, Texas, July %, 1863
aged seventy years. j. j. NOAH.